Isoschaftoside is used as an intercrop due to its allelopathic inhibition of parasitism by Striga hermonthica, an obligate parasitic weed that can devastate the maize crop. Isoschaftoside has anti-tumor, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities, it also possesses strong nematicidal activity against M. incognita.

方法与结果：在东非小规模农户的玉米种植中，作为饲料的豆科植物Desmodium uncinatum因其对Striga hermonthica的化感抑制作用而被用作间作物。Striga hermonthica是一种会严重破坏玉米作物的必需寄生性杂草。通过对D. uncinatum根提取物的生物检测引导分离，发现Isoschaftoside是抑制已萌发的S. hermonthica根系生长的主要成分。使用来自不同植物源Passiflora incarnata的Isoschaftoside重复的生物检测证明了其为生物活性成分。结论：通过对水培D. uncinatum根系分泌物的分析，发现Isoschaftoside在水培介质中以10-100 nM的生物活性浓度存在。